Commercial seed planting machinery is generally used in farming and other agricultural operations to plow a furrow for planting a seed of corn, soybeans, or the like, followed by the closing of the furrow over the seed, to retain moisture and to prevent birds from eating the seeds. In such commercial devices, for example the John Deere MaxEmerge planters, a V-shaped seed trench is carved out of the soil by a pair of angled discs, as the seed planter is dragged across a tilled field. The seeds are measured into a chute, to fall by gravity through the chute into the trench just behind the discs. Thereafter, a pair of wheels positioned behind the chute in angular relation to each other reclose the trench.
In this commerical system, it is generally necessary to plow under the stubble from the previous years' crop. A large amount of stubble on the field can interfere with the formation of the seed planting trench. A large quantity of corn stalks, for example, may be difficult for the trench-cutting discs to pass through without disruption of the seed planting trench.
Furthermore, there is a considerable amount of inaccuracy in seed spacing in the present commerical arrangements, since the velocity of the seeds falling down the chute may vary, resulting in irregular spacing. Also, a considerable amount of fuel is required to provide the energy to force open and then to close the many hundreds of seed trenches which must be produced in order to plant a field of corn or soybeans.
Also, with respect to the planting of soybeans, for example, it would be desirable to plant them in a square pattern about four to seven inches on a side, rather than planting them in more widely spaced rows of perhaps twelve inches, but only perhaps two inches apart in the row, as is one present practice. However, the present commercial structures cannot effectively plant seeds in such narrow rows, since the plowing action required to create and then to close up a seed trench can interfere with its neighbor seed trenches at such close spacing.
Furthermore, the presently available commercial equipment cannot readily be used to plant, for example, both corn and soybeans, in view of the large spacing required between corn plants, and the desired narrow spacing of soybean plants.
In accordance with this invention, an improved, roller-type seed planting device is disclosed, having substantial advantages over the present, commercially available seed planting devices, as well as various old, prior art roller-type seed planting devices.
As an example of such roller-type devices, Harriman U.S. Pat. No. 29,691 discloses a roller-type grain drill in which a hollow roller carries a series of hollow protrusions, which punch holes in the ground as the roller is moved therealong. Means are provided for dropping seeds into each of the protrusions, which have an opening to release a seed into each formed hole in the ground. However, there is a considerable possibility that the hole of each protrusion may become clogged by lumps of earth or the like, and thus become inoperative. Furthermore, the seed can be expected to remain largely uncovered in its newly formed hole, and is thus subject to being eaten by birds, and the failure of germination because of excessive dryness.
White U.S. Pat. No. 2,340,240 also discloses a hollow, seed planting roller having hollow protrusions for digging a hole and depositing seed therein. A trap door like arrangement is contemplated for closing an aperture in the hollow projection, except while in contact with the ground, at which time it is intended to open to deposit the seed. However, in this structure, as in the previous, the seed will tend to remain on the surface of the ground and not be buried. Furthermore, there is the possibility that many of the seeds will be scooped out of the hole by the rolling device after it is deposited, to remain in exposed, vulnerable position on the bare field.
Other rotary seed planting devices are disclosed, for example, in Pogue U.S. Pat. No. 372,564 and Lesser U.S. Pat. No. 1,068,673. In each of these patents, the same disadvantages exist as described above, which appears to be one reason why these structures never have achieved significant commerical success.
The improved seed planting device of this invention, being of the roller type, can plant seeds without difficulty in a field thickly laden with stubble. Accordingly, the stubble can function as a mulch, while also acting as a blanket to reduce moisture loss from the field and weed growth. Furthermore, the amount of fuel required to propel the planting device of this invention is much less than in conventional seed planting devices which create a seed planting trench. A large amount of energy is required to create such a trench, as well as to close it up again in the present, commercial manner.
Also, the seed planting device of this invention can precisely position the seeds in any desired planting pattern; even a close planting pattern for soybeans or the like, for example, of four to seven inches square. The device deposits seeds in individually created holes, and is capable of at least partially reclosing the hole thus created, to bury the seed at a predetermined, uniform, desired depth for optimum germination conditions.
Furthermore, the device of this invention can be finely adjusted for making small changes in the pattern of seed distribution. For example, this invention can be utilized to manufacture a device capable of varying the spacing between seeds by a matter of one inch or less. The difference between a square seed pattern of spacing 4.5 inches on a side, and a square pattern of seed spacing of 5.5 inches results in a seed population difference of approximately one hundred thousand seeds per acre (about 310,000 seeds in the one case, as against about 207,000 seeds in the other).
As a further advantage, the seed planting device of this invention is capable of compensating for hillocks and depressions in a field, producing the same desired, even, accurate pattern of seed dispersion without missing certain depressed areas, with the resultant failure of crop growth in that particular area.
The device of this invention can be used to plant any desired seed, including corn, soybeans, grass seed, tomatoes and other vegetables, or wheat, and can also be used to apply other materials such as fertilizers, insecticides, nematocides, and fungicides.